Super Mole Escape Cheats And Tips

Tunnel your way to freedom with our game guide.

Picked up Super Mole Escape yet? You really should, as it's one of the finest endless-runners we've played in some time. Even the most jaded fan of the genre will find something new in Adult Swim's latest game, and we've put together some top tips and hints to help you bust your way out of jail.

What are the crystals for?

Try and prioritize grabbing the large clear gems that occasionally appear on the screen. Once you've picked up three of these, you'll be placed inside a giant robotic suit which is invulnerable and very, very fast. It only lasts for a handful of seconds, but it's a great way of grabbing a huge stash of gems and breaking distance records.

Tilt or Touch

Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. We find touch controls to be much more responsive and accurate, although obscuring the screen in this way can led to some very sticky endings. Tilt controls allow you to take in all of the upcoming threats, but you'll need to play with a high sensitivity setting to make good progress in the game.

Whichever method you choose, we definitely recommend that you play around with the sensitivity settings, as the default controls are far too sluggish for most gamers.

What are the upgrades in the crates?

Whenever you come into contact with a crate, you'll receive a random power-up, although by tapping the screen you can stop on the one you want if you're quick enough! Here's a breakdown of all of the power-ups available in the game, and what they're good for.

(Note that different characters get a different passive bonus to these powers, which might allow them to use an item twice for example, or smash a hammer over a wider radius.)

Green Shield

Gives you a rocket blast through all scenery and speed-inhibiting soil. Will also take out enemies, and its relatively gentle pace allows you to grab a decent chunk of gems at the same time.

Hammer

Smashes anything in front of you, be that a rock or an enemy. Most useful whenever the warden's getting near and you need to get away at all costs.

Red Shield

Our favorite upgrade. Picking this up encircles your mole with a powerful spinning ring of spiked steel that eats through anything he comes into contact with.

Bomb

Self-explanatory! As you can only drop bombs behind you, we like to save this one up for whenever the prison warden's on our tail. Just drop it behind you and let him clatter into it.

Barrels of fun

Every time you enter a level transition, you'll parachute through a huge field of gems. Make sure you land in the barrel that rolls from left to right when you reach the bottom, as this will give you a massive speed boost as you head into the next area.

Character stats

There are three different stats to be considered within the game, as well as a power-up proficiency that each character has access to. Here's the low-down on each stat:

Speed

Prefer to stay at arm's length from the law? Upgrading your speed attribute will allow you to travel faster, both on the main track and whenever you stray off into the slower side areas.

Acceleration

If you find yourself bumping into objects a little too often, upgrading this stat will help you get back on track much faster.

Strength

The tougher your mole is, the quicker they can batter through rocks and other obstacles. Your mole will also be able to wrestle themselves free of any traps much quicker when you upgrade this stat.

Gaining speed

The easiest way to gain speed is to make sure you grab every gem of the same color in a single line. This will give you a speed boost that can be increased with further collections. If you want to maintain that speed then you need to avoid any obstacles and stay on the lighter path.

What's in the upgrade store?

Those gems you've been collecting are for spending, and here's what you can grab in the store:

Quick Start

Cost: 250 (1) / 1,000 (5)

Starts your next run deeper underground.

Super Quick Start

Cost: 400 (1), 1,600 (5)

Same as the Quick Start, but starts you off even deeper.

Auto-Pardon

Cost: 950 (1), 4,500 (5)

Caught by the warden? This item will set you free from your first capture.

Trails!

Just for laughs there are three different trail types you can buy to add a cosmetic flavor to your tunneling. Bubbles cost 8,000 gems, while the heart and cheese trails will each set you back 24,000 gems.

Extra Pardon

Cost: 18,000

This adds an extra pardon option to the judgment wheel presented at the end of each run, giving you a slightly better chance of continuing your bolt for freedom!

Skip Challenge

Cost: 12,000

If you're getting held up in your challenge progress, you can always buy one of these to remove one from the list!